New photography by Shannon Ruff captured with a digital camera-2006.

Large Dish with Decoration of Arabic Texts, Likely Verses from the Koran

Artist Unknown

CultureChinese | Ming Dynasty

Datelate 16th - early 17th century

MediumPorcelain | Enamel | Swatow ware: porcelain with decoration painted in overglaze polychrome enamels

DimensionsOverall: 2 7/8 x 13 7/8 in. (7.3 x 35.2 cm)

InscribedLong Arabic inscriptions form the design; Brietbart number "B-101" (on bottom).

Credit LineGift of Sheldon L. Breitbart

Object number74.2.8

Not on view

DescriptionSwatow ware plate with Arabic inscriptions. Deep plate has double iron red lines below rim on interior. Arabic script below them in turquoise and black enamel. Equally spaced on cavetto are light circles enclosing script, bottom interior circle also encloses script with bank of script around it. Glaze off-white, pitted with some alligatoring on exterior. Body burnt red-brown where exposed; reddish band at junction of glaze and body at foot. Bottom coarse and unevenly glazed sand and gravel adhering. Glaze worn and rubbed in several places; .5 cm rim chip.

Published ReferencesSee similar plate in _Trans OCS_ '64-'65; '65-'66 Article by S. Jenyns plate 55b "The Chinese Porcelain in the Topkapu Saray, Istanbul" (see info. file); also Donally, P.J., "Chinese Porcelain with Inscriptions in the Arabic Script, _Connoiseur_, Jan. '75, p. 7-13 (similar plate in color plate A).